Thursday, March 24, 2011

In 21 Words or Less

Here's the scenario: You have been put in charge of creating a brand new education system. Whatever you decide will be done. You are the monarch. You have unlimited resources and everyone is mandated to do your bidding (and they love you and think you are a genius).

And they are waiting to hear your concept.

One caveat: This being the 21st century, you have to explain your entire concept in 21 words or less.

Learn darnit. And everyone stop saying, "I'm not good at Math/Science"...Nobody ever says "Oh, I'm not good at Reading" That's just unacceptable. But, why is it acceptable to say "I'm not good at Math?"

Check out Mr Pesas' response. Then read all the suggestions that cluster around the idea of letting students learn what they want. (Nudge in the right direction: too few will choose math/science.) The teacher must lead.

Offer a set of guidelines that lend themselves to further questioning. The questioning leads to seeking answers, the more questions. (20 words)

*Creative outlets, IT, writing, art, even spoken word, to demonstrate their findings. The educator they conference with offers ideas as building blocks, not directives, then the process repeats itself, perpetual learning. Sorry, I just described how most of us live and learn in the real world, plus-minus the incentive of course.

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Teach Paperless: Now!

TeachPaperless began in February 2009 as a blog detailing the experiences of one teacher in a paperless classroom. It has grown to be something much more than that. In January 2011, TeachPaperless became a collaboratively written blog dedicated to conversation and commentary about the intertwined worlds of digital technology, new media, and education.

Buzz Paperless

TeachPaperless was noted as a Twitterer worth ReTweeting by Education Week's Digital Education blog. Also in Ed Week: "Shelly Blake-Plock has had some really intriguing posts already this year and I'm already behind. Considering he published 639 entries on his TeachPaperless blog in 2009 it's going to be hard to keep up, but well worth the try."

“When I originally contacted Shelley last week to inquire as to whether or not he would be willing to talk to my staff, he jumped right in, and he didn’t disappoint. What impressed me most about him as I listened to him describe his practice was his clear vision of what it meant for his students to function in a classroom that he designed: it was about them learning. He truly designed the environment with their learning–their unbridled learning–in mind. His decision was not a secretarial one, but rather came from a desire to push students to take control of information gathering, processing, and creating.” – Chalkdust 101

TeachPaperless was named one of the 'Top 25 Blogs for Educators' byWorld Wide Learn.

"I think you have some great ideas for teachers, and as we do professional development around the state of Maryland, we will point teachers to your blog." Debbie Vickers of Thinkport.org a partnership between Maryland Public Television and Johns Hopkins University's Center for Technology in Education

"The invention of the computer promised to lead us to a paperless society but has failed to deliver on that promise... until now, perhaps?" TeachPaperless was featured by Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning as an Everyday Innovation

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Photo Credit: MJ Wojewodzki; a portion of a painted wall in the Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii [2006]